Iliotibial Band Syndrome


Iliotibial  Band Syndrome (or IT Band) is often a frustrating cause of either hip or knee pain for athletes. Iliotibial Band Syndrome is one of the most common causes of lateral knee pain in runners, triathletes and cyclists. Too ofterm, the cause of iliotibial band pain is the result of increasing training too quickly or an issue with poor biomechanics. In most cases, Iliotibial Band Syndrome can be prevented with these simple tips and listening to your body.

Anatomy
The iliotibial band is a thick layer of tissue along the outer part of the leg that runs from the hip to the knee. Irritation of the IT band can occur either in the hip or the outside part of the knee as the iliotibial band rubs across the greater trochanter and the lateral epicondyle of the femur.

Symptoms
In most cases, people with iliotibial band syndrome have sharp pain on the  outside part of the knee while bending or straightening the knee  such as during running. Other symptoms of IT Band Syndrome include pain on the outside part of the hip over the greater trochanter.

Causes
A common cause of  iliotibial band syndrome is tightness of the tissue or weakness in the muscles around the hip and buttocks (gluteus muscles). This muscle weakness can cause excessive hip and leg rotation, resulting in increased stress and irritation of the iliotibial band. Other factors that can lead to IT band syndrome include running on a sloped surface such as the beach or road and excessive pronation or rolling in of the foot.

Prevention of Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Iliotibial band syndrome can be prevented by allowing for adequate recovery and rest, following a regular stretching and strengthening program, avoiding overtraining, and selecting proper running shoes for your running style.

Treatment of Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Ice massage to the painful area for 10 to 15 minutes after workouts can decrease the pain. For acute injuries (less than 2 weeks) anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) or naproxen (Aleve or Naprosyn) can help with pain and irritation. In chronic injuries there is less inflammation of the tissue, therefor acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be more appropriate.

Stretches for Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Stretching of the iliotibial band is an important component of proper rehabilitation if the band is tight. One simple stretch is to stand and cross your injured leg behind your uninjured leg and bend over to touch your toes. A more advanced version of this exercise is to then extend the arms overhead and slowly reach to the opposite side (for the right IT band, extend the arms to the left) and then continue the stretch as the arms reach for the floor. As you perform this exercise, you should feel the stretch in the side and back on the hip. If you experience pain or muscle spasm then reduce the motion during the stretch.

The seated IT band stretch is performed while sitting on the floor with the legs out straight. Bending at the hip and knee, take the injured leg and cross it over the uninjured leg. Twist the upper body towards the injured side to continue the stretch. An alternative method is to slowly extend the knee and leg of the tight IT band to increase the stretch.